White Lightning 1200

MDalby

I just bought a White Lightning 1200 but it hasn't arrived yet. I really need two and I am still looking for the other.

This isn't quite as portable as the SB-800s but I am hoping to get a gym strobe setup together.

I did find this link for building a DIY battery solution.

http://www.adidap.com/2007/01/24/diy-vagabond-power-pack/

Do any of you have any advice on this? This really isn't a cost effective solution if I am going ot build a battery pack for two flashes on opposite sides of a BB court.

I just wanted to try to get more light and thought I would give this a shot.

MD

ziggy53

Can't really add much. The article you linked is very good information and those are good prices. Occasionally you can find surplus batteries very cheaply but that's about the only savings I recommend.

If you use lead-acid batteries do be sure to ventilate properly, even if they are the sealed batteries. It's always possible for gasses to accumulate in a sealed box.

Of course plugging the monolights into AC is the simplest, cheapest and most reliable method.

MDalby

Has anyone else used these for basketball? I am not sure what percent power I will be using. It will depend on the gym and how much flash I can get away with without the teams complaining.

I am curious how many shots I can get a second if I use 1/4 - 1/2 power.

MD

rwells

MDalby wrote:

Has anyone else used these for basketball? I am not sure what percent power I will be using. It will depend on the gym and how much flash I can get away with without the teams complaining.

I am curious how many shots I can get a second if I use 1/4 - 1/2 power.

MD

The newer Vegabond ll is $299.00, and is 3 times faster than the old 300. It's a great unit.

I've never been dissapointed using 1 WL1200 bounced off the ceiling. That's a lot of light, why would you need two? Your not going to point it AT the court, are you Not only will the players/coach not like that, the fans/parents won't like that flash getting thrown directly at them either, while they sit in the bleachers.

I would STRONGLY urge you NOT to shoot burst with a flash/stobe in a gym. That will propably get you thrown out, and put a bad taste in others mouth about the use of flash/strobes in a gym. Not a good thing for any of us.

MDalby

Randy,

Ahhh... I think I am getting it now. Yes, I was planning on bouncing the 1200 off the ceiling but I thought I would need to have two to even out the lighting, one on each side of the court to avoid shadows.

I didn't realize you just kept the light on all the time during the game.

I have used my SB-800 on my camera during the game bouncing off the ceiling and it has not been any issue at all. Sean Martin also uses the same technique only off camera.

I see what you are saying now though, just use the WL 1200 to increase the lighting during the entire game and not use flash. Where is best to position the WL to avoid shadows? I would move the WL at half time to the other end of the court. Do I want to have the WL closer to the court side in the bleachers to have the light come more down directly from above rather than at an angle?

You just saved me some money.

Thanks for the help.

MD

rwells

MDalby wrote:

Randy,

Ahhh... I think I am getting it now. Yes, I was planning on bouncing the 1200 off the ceiling but I thought I would need to have two to even out the lighting, one on each side of the court to avoid shadows.

I didn't realize you just kept the light on all the time during the game.

I have used my SB-800 on my camera during the game bouncing off the ceiling and it has not been any issue at all. Sean Martin also uses the same technique only off camera.

I see what you are saying now though, just use the WL 1200 to increase the lighting during the entire game and not use flash. Where is best to position the WL to avoid shadows? I would move the WL at half time to the other end of the court. Do I want to have the WL closer to the court side in the bleachers to have the light come more down directly from above rather than at an angle?

You just saved me some money.

Thanks for the help.

MD

No, not the modeling light...Just point the strobe up to the ceiling. Like if you were standing at the top of the key, straight up. Now pull the aiming back toward your light. That's about where you want the light aimed. This aiming will, of course, depend on exactly where the monolight is mounted.

EX: If the light is mounted near the right corner baseline, then aim the light to the right of the direct line from the key to the ceiling.

If the light is mounted to the edge wall of the gym, say on the bleachers rail, then the point of aim on the ceiling would need to move significantly toward your light. Remember, it's where the light will wind up on the players after its bounced from the ceiling. In this scenario, if you were to aim the light at the ceiling directly above the key, the bounced light would mainly wind up where? That's right, on the fans in the bleachers on the other side of the gym.

Lighting is a little like playing pool. You have to aim the light to where you want the light to be, AFTER it has been bounced.

MDalby

Thanks Randy for the help. I can't wait to give this a shot and see how it looks.

MD

angevin1

ziggy53 wrote:

Can't really add much. The article you linked is very good information and those are good prices. Occasionally you can find surplus batteries very cheaply but that's about the only savings I recommend.

If you use lead-acid batteries do be sure to ventilate properly, even if they are the sealed batteries. It's always possible for gasses to accumulate in a sealed box.

Of course plugging the monolights into AC is the simplest, cheapest and most reliable method.

One thing....

Please do consider this:

If you do a DIY thing here and this thing was to explode and cause a fire, YOU would be totally responsible.

lead acid batteries are very dangerous! You'd never know it because we use them in cars, boats and other craft all the time without complication. But when a lead acid battery is fully charged or especially fully discharged, there is lots of gas laying on top, and that gas will explode readily from the slightest spark. H or hydrogen as you know is very volatile. I've cut thru gasoline lines with sparks flying everywhere when I owned a garage (liquid; no big deal), but I always was very respectful of batteries!

But the bigger point here is DIY.

thinking of liability here, tom

MDalby

Tom,

Tahnk you for the input. I have decided that I will be going with the Vagabond II solution. The money that I would be saving is minimal.

MD